Ms Natalie Gamble:

That discussion is yet to be had. The model that is being looked at is a regulated system of surrogacy. The agencies and organisations that facilitate matching would have a responsibility to conduct screening. That would be under licence from the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority. The second stage would be for the authority to determine what that screening looks like and what its consequences are. If it is required to conduct criminal records checks, is that to exclude certain people from being eligible to become parents or to make sure that everybody is aware of all the issues and backgrounds, and that there is openness and transparency? In adoption law in the UK, there are a limited number of specified offences that prevent people from applying to be matched with a child for adoption, including offences against children and very serious offences. That may carry over into surrogacy, but that will be a matter for the regulator to decide.